Memorandum submitted by Monica Akehurst
(RAS 19)
1. I consider myself to be a grassroots
farmer; I have strong views, and care passionately about the state
of the farming industry today. I started my practical experience
aged about five, due to having the smallest hands in the family,
I took on the challenge of sorting out difficult lambings! These
days I farm in partnership with my husband, farming Beef/Sheep
and some corn, approximately 300 acres in total, of which we only
own 44 acres. I appreciate the benefits of the farming way of
life. I have no time for the whingers who are not prepared to
do anything constructive to rectify the situation, there are too
many takers and not enough givers. I have scanned "A Vision
for the CAP" and confess to not being inspired by its reading.
2. My concerns for the industry are as follows.
First and foremost, Regulations are stifling our industry. (This
letter was submitted by me, and printed in The Farmers Guardian
this week)
3. Where is the harm in wool? Can someone
please explain to me why wool has been classified as a category
3 animal by product waste? Farmers are no longer allowed to burn
or bury it. Surely wool is a natural fibre and is bio degradable.
Humans wear it, I was glad of it this winter. Recent programmes
on television, promote wool as a natural insulation that can be
used in ecological and environmentally friendly new built houses.
Also placing wool around the bottom of fruit trees has shown to
be effective, keeping down the weeds, retaining moisture, and
added nutrients. Indeed my grandfather always put the sheep daggings
in the bottom of the trench when he planted his runner beans,
and that seemed to grow a good crop of tasty beans to enjoy eating.
Daggings are also useful for lining out hanging baskets!
In the House of Lords, where legislation is
considered before it becomes law, the presiding Lord Chancellor
sits on a wool sack, stuffed with wool. It is thought to have
been placed there during the reign of Edward III. It symbolised
the importance of wool to the wealth of the nation. How times
have changed, in my opinion not always for the better.
4. I cannot believe that wool is a danger
to the environment. But now farmers have to pay for someone to
take waste wool away from the farm to be incinerated, surely this
is an unnecessary waste of energy? Can this really be right? Is
it the most sensible option?
5. It is a clear illustration of unnecessary
legislation that incurs extra costs for the farmer. Indeed it
is impossible to keep pace with the raft of rules being heaped
upon us, it leaves little time for tending to the stock and crops.
Personally I regard farmers as a generally law abiding bunch,
but recently I am willing to bet that honest genuine people have
been turned into regulation breakers, often through no fault of
their own. This situation can be very stressful—incidentally,
stress or "freedom from it" is a basic animal right,
farmers could do with less of it too! It is interesting to note
that the reason most cited by farmers leaving this country to
farm abroad is bureaucracy. It also acts as a deterrent to becoming
a farmer, many of the younger generation do not want the hassle,
and who can blame them.
6. Regarding waste regulation, why not look
to the packaging and manufacturing companies, there is much that
they could do to reduce waste. Moving on, it was not farmers that
put the bonemeal into the animal feeds, they merely bought food
sold as suitable for their animals to eat, yet it was farmers
who appeared to take the blame for BSE. Foot and Mouth, where
are the controls at the point of entry into this country to protect
us against this disease? Meat continues to be imported from Brazil
where this disease continues to be a real problem, is that sensible?
It also would appear that farmers are carrying the wrap for drought
and global warming which seems a little harsh. When will commonsense
prevail, let the farmers get on with their job, the people who
sit in offices and create rules appear to miss the point, that
of course farmers will inherently, look after the environment
because their very livelihood depends upon it, irrespective of
what the authorities come up with.
7. Farmers image, needs overhauling!!
8. Lets get some facts straight, farmers
are friend and not foe of the urban dweller, they produce a secure
supply of tasty, quality, traceable, wholesome fresh food for
people to enjoy at affordable prices, whilst also creating and
maintaining the landscape of our beautiful British countryside
for all to appreciate. The profile of farming needs raising, a
more positive attitude. I respect my animals and the land that
I farm and I would like respect for what I do. Perhaps, in the
past, subsidies have created a complacent attitude accompanied
by increased antagonism towards the farmer from government and
public alike. Now maybe we can remove ourselves from the bottom
of the pile. The British Farmer should be proud of what has been
achieved in our industry. Food is a basic need, as a producer
either through growing crops or breeding and raising stock, the
farmer possesses a strength which should be built on. Consider
how many other industries rely on the producer, not only the consumer
but also the "inbetweenies". They are also an important
part of the chain, but without us they would not exist. In the
livestock business for example, there are the markets, abattoirs,
buyers, processors, transporters, packers, distributors and ultimately
the sellers, be they the small shop or large supermarket their
business relies on the survival of our business. Unless the Government
are happy to rely totally on imports, but at what cost, and how
secure, let alone the extra food miles, which also incurs environmental
pollution costs, is that what they want?
9. World wide the cost of fuel, and energy
is rising, and pollution is of increasing concern. I feel that
relying on others would not be good! In fact empty shelves could
be catastrophic as there is worrying ignorance as to how food
is produced, in the urban hi tech world.
10. In my experience a large number of the
general public are interested in farming. This interest could
be utilised to create positive vibe. There is a distinct lack
of knowledge as to the realities of how food is produced. There
is little in the way of education to rectify this, apart from
some initiatives by farmers (farm Sunday, June 11th for example)
which is to be applauded. There is little on the Television that
shows accurate information about Farming. Countryfile is more
concerned with environmental issues, although important does not
feed the 60 million people in the U.K. or show a true reflection
on how food is produced. Jimmy's farm has quite a following but
he is not exactly a typical farmer. The Farmers weekly food miles
campaign has proved to be a worthwhile initiative.
11. USE US or LOSE US, farmers are at risk
of becoming a rare breed themselves, and with us will go the age
old skills involved in country living, husbandry and ways of country
folk. Big is not always beautiful, the small family farm is interwoven
into the fabric, part of the culture of the British countryside.
I like to think that being as we are an innovative, stubborn and
resilient breed who are already used to adapting to cope with
the elements and various challenges of today's climate, I hope
that it will be possible to survive, but the politicians could
do their part in helping to preserve this. Many farmers are asset
rich cash poor. "If you look after the pennies the pounds
will look after themselves", I feel that under the present
Single Farm Payment system the large wealthy land owners will
do very well. But the smaller working farmer, who does the work
and produces the food, the graziers and tenant farmers, will have
a struggle on their hands.
12. I am in favour of a fair playing field,
but let's live in the real world. Most of our competitors are
beneficiaries of agricultural support programmes, if worldwide
support was removed perhaps it would be fair, as this is unlikely
to happen, British farmers are going to be severely disadvantaged.
I would simply like to get a fair price for my produce enough
for my family to live on, cover the bills and enable me to stay
in business, without unnecessary hangers on creaming money off
my livelihood. Incidentally I had great difficulty persuading
my husband to accompany me to see an independent consultant giving
free farm business advice. I dread to think how much this cost
Defra, but I had to admit that on this issue my husband was right
Defra should save their money, it was a complete waste of valuable
time We gained nothing from it that we did not already know, and
simply received a typed letter afterwards telling us what we had
told him. Not what I call constructive, but nothing ventured,
nothing gained. There are in my opinion far too many people trying
to live off our backs. Any help available needs to be carefully
directed to where it is deserved, there is too much siphoning
off going on.
13. If you have read this, thank you for
taking the time to do so. I am sorry to disappoint but I do not
possess the answers as to how the problems are resolved, I will
leave that to the experts. However I would plead with you to include
on your committee, someone who has a good working knowledge of
the practicalities involved in farming and first hand experience
of the agricultural industry. Not someone who is out to feather
their own nest, but someone who truly cares for the industry,
the environment and the well being of the British countryside.
They should have a good sense of humour, integrity and above all
possess a good measure of common sense, which is I fear sadly
lacking in today's society. If you can find someone of this calibre,
hopefully there will be a glimmer of hope for our industry.
June 2006
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